Today, Russia won its bid to host the 2018 World Cup. Since Putin, miffed over allegations of that FIFA was selling votes, declined to attend the ceremony at FIFA headquarters in Zurich, Sports Minister Vitaly “97 breakfasts” Mutko spoke of Russia’s gratitude. Probably, the megaubersuperduper corrupt Minister spoke of his own gratitude, too — think of the kickbacks! — from his heart, and, quite likely, a piece of paper with English transliterated into Cyrillic.

8 Responses to Let the games begin

Merry Christmas, Julia. Hey, since the holiday season is typically awash in sentiment and nostalgia, how about this blast from the past? “…You got me. I hate Russia. I just hate it. That’s why I uprooted my cushy life in New York to live here, in Moscow. Because I hate it so much. And to think that I had everyone fooled but you.”

Ummm…exactly why DID you uproot your cushy life in New York to live in Moscow? Because it’s apparent you can’t be happy for Russia in anything, unless it perhaps promised to kill itself tomorrow morning. Sarcasm imitates life. You do hate Russia, and if you think continuing to live martyrdom in Moscow is some kind of expression of an aw-shucks, backhanded affection for the place, you’re only fooling yourself. Is there any other reasonable explanation for your alum-laced bitterness over the country of your birth’s landing a major sports event that isn’t going to happen until a time when the Sports Minister who apparently inspires visceral hatred in you might well not be the Sports Minister any more? Hey, cheer up – since every male Russian who isn’t (a) under 10, (b) directly related to Boris Nemtsov or (c) already dead is (a) a Nashi skinhead living on borrowed time, (b) a vodka-soaked boozebag with a liver the size and texture of an armadillo, or (c) a gangster hood with a bullseye on the back of his head, he’ll probably be dead by 2018! Think positive.

Restless and discontented with merely projecting four years into the future, and shitting all over the 2014 Olympics, you’re now flipping the calendar another four years ahead. How about we wait until history happens before we record it, what say?

Should all genuinely patriotic Germans have been happy for their country when Berlin was awarded the 1936 Olympics? Allowing such high-profile international sporting events to be hosted by patently undemocratic countries serves to legitimize brutal and corrupt regimes, regimes that will not fail to use them as an occasion to celebrate themselves.